The Union ministry of road, transport and highways is looking to upgrade NH10 — the lifeline to Sikkim and Kalimpong — and explore alternative alignment options.

The move comes at a time when experts have stated that the fate of this highway along the present alignment that runs parallel to the river Teesta is sealed.

The highway, however, is also crucial from the national security perspective, as Sikkim shares borders with China.

Raju Bista, the Darjeeling MP, said that he had reached out to Nitin Gadkari, the Union minister of road, transport and highways, regarding the deplorable condition of the highway on September 9, 2024.

The Darjeeling legislator stated that he received a letter from Gadkari on Saturday stating that the ministry was in the process of engaging a project management consultancy (PMC) to upgrade the highway.

“I have got the matter examined and would like to inform you that my Ministry is in the process of engaging Project Management Consultancy (PMC) for upgradation of NH10 (Sevoke-Rangpo section) to 2L+PS (pavement structure) standard including permanent restoration of landslide prone spots,” wrote Gadkari.

The highway was recently handed over to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), which is a fully owned company of the Government of India from Bengal’s PWD (highway division).

The ministry has also directed the NHIDCL to explore possible alternatives and alignments for NH10.

Many experts, however, believe that more than restoration work, an alternative route for the 52km-stretch from Sevoke to Rangpo section of the highway needs to explored.

Dr Nirmalya Chatterjee, an independent soil scientist who obtained a doctorate from the Washington State University and has worked in the Sikkim-Darjeeling region, had earlier told The Telegraph that the fate of the highway was sealed.

“From a technical soil physics perspective, the fate of NH10 is sealed. It will never be the same as it was before the (Teesta) dams were built,” said Chatterjee, referring to the two dams that came up between 2013 and 2016 at a cumulative estimated cost of around ₹4,000 crore.

This monsoon the highway has caved in repeatedly, forcing authorities to further cut the hill slopes to make space for a new road.

Dr Subir Sarkar, former head of the geography department of the North Bengal University, said the concept of development in fragile regions had to be readdressed. “In fragile areas, the load-carrying capacity should be the major criteria for development. There has to be a limit on the scale of development,” said Sarkar.